


The Ties That Bind

by PastelLunarPrince



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Rumbelle - Freeform, Teen Emma, teen bae, this is a stupid once/pokemon crossover kinda sorta thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-20 22:56:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1528793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelLunarPrince/pseuds/PastelLunarPrince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which everyone is given an egg when they're young and grow up with it. A bond for life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ties That Bind

She had always been a late bloomer - that’s what her mother said anyway, before she passed away - but this was just ridiculous. Even in elementary school when everyone was playing with their baby Pokemon, Belle’s was still an egg - a dull. brown. egg. Her egg didn’t hatch until she was in middle school, whereas everyone else’s had hatched by the second grade.

But, no matter what, Belle had carried the egg with her - protecting it from the taunts thrown at them, reading to it when she was on the playground, and even sleeping with it beside her. Then, one morning she woke up and curled against her chest was a small Eevee. It was a weekend so Belle spent the next two days playing with and observing the tiny Pokemon. Mostly, the two of them spent their days in the backyard tending to Belle’s rather small vegetable garden as well as laying in the hammock reading and playing puzzle games.

After that Sunday’s adventures - which included but were not limited to going out to town for the very first time - Belle curled up with the Eevee for a good night’s rest before school the next day.

"I’ve thought of a name for you," Belle murmured as the Eevee turned around three times before nudging its way under Belle’s arm. She peered at Belle curiously, waiting for her human to continue. "Eurydice."

Eevee looked at Belle with wide brown eyes before gently bashing her head under Belle’s chin and curling up - almost purring as she fell asleep.

"Eurydice it is, then."

-

When Belle walked into school the next day, she noticed that nearly everyone’s Pokemon had already evolved. Everyone seemed normal, and now, she was behind again. She let Eurydice sit curled up around her neck the entire day; it made her feel good just to have the Eevee that close. There wasn’t much know about Eevees at that point, they were actually very rare to hatch.

-

As school went on, Belle felt more and more like an outcast, and she could tell that as Eurydice grew, she felt it too. By the time graduation came along, Eurydice was about a foot tall and she still sat curled around Belle’s shoulders and neck - even as she walked the stage to get her diploma.

It was then Belle knew she had to get away from her hometown. So she took Eurydice, packed a couple bags, and moved away from Australia - heading to the States. She attended a small college in New York before finding a job listing in a small town called Storybrook in Maine. The name itself was enough to lure her in - how she did love books.

-

Once Belle and Eurydice arrived in Storybrook, it suddenly felt like home. It was a quaint town, and there were quaint people living ordinary lives with their Pokemon by their side. Eurydice was in her normal spot appearing much like a very fluffy scarf.

"Need any help?"

Belle looked at the woman speaking to her and smiled. “S-sorry, that obvious?”

The woman smiled and nodded. “We don’t get many new people here in Storybrook - you must be here about the librarian job.”

Belle nodded, “I am. I’m Belle. Belle French.”

"Regina Mills, mayor," the woman said, extending her hand. "And this is Pax." She turned just slightly, laying her hand gently on the head of a Houndoom.

"This is Eurydice," Belle said, nudging her Pokemon’s head slightly, causing Eurydice to let out a slight trilling noise before looking at Regina.

"Come, follow me to my office," Regina said. "We’ll do your interview and get you settled in."

-

"Turns out it’s a double job," Belle said as she pulled her curls into a ponytail to wash her face. Eurydice sat on the bathroom sink, watching. "Librarian at the school and also taking on a literature class." She shook her head. "You minor in education and end up teaching at a small town high school." The twenty-five year old groaned.

Eurydice chirped at Belle.

"Yeah, I know you’ll be there with me, but…" She shook her head. "I didn’t think I’d ever actually be a teacher - I applied to be a librarian." She finished washing her face and leaned down so that Eurydice could climb up on her. "We start tomorrow, Eury."

-

Belle took a deep breath as she stood outside of the classroom, watching each student pass with their own Pokemon - some in their final evolved forms, some still behind, and it made her feel better about herself and she hoped that these students didn’t have to go through the same things she did.

Once the bell rang, she turned and walked into her classroom. She had a couple of books with her, a folder, and a grade book - courtesy of the really nice teacher with the Plusle. Belle stood in front of her class, taking in each one of them as they chatted.

"Alright class," she spoke, glad that the students and Pokemon quieted rather quickly. "I’m Ms. French." She wrung her hands together and looked at Eurydice as she jumped from her neck to the desk and sat down - staring at the students with her big brown eyes. "Um. I’ll take roll now." She fiddled with a few sheets of paper before finding the roll sheet.

"Baelfire Gold?"

"I go by Neal, Ms. French."

Belle looked up to see a boy with unruly dark hair, an Arcanine curled up at his feet. “Neal.” She muttered as she corrected it.

"Emma Nolan?" Belle called. She heard a few snickers from the students and raised an eyebrow.

"Most know me as Emma Swan," the blonde girl said, jerking her head slightly towards the Swanna preening itself underneath the girl’s desk.

Belle chuckled and nodded. “Noted.” She smiled. She went through the rest of the list without much else being said. “Alright, if where you’re sitting is where you want to sit for the rest of the semester, please remain seated. If not, pick somewhere else. You have two minutes.”

After no one moved, Belle began her teaching for the day.

When the bell rung, she sighed and grabbed her things. “Read all of chapter one for discussion.” She watched the students file out and waited until the next bell rung before leaving the classroom. She didn’t expect, however, Eurydice to take off running.

Belle groaned and left her things in the room. She saw the room in which Eurydice ran and ran after her. “Eurydice!”

Her eyes widened as she ran into a class currently in session. She looked at the man teaching. “Sorry,” She smiled. “Um. My Pokemon…”

"You’re Ms. French, correct?"

The accent that hit Belle’s ear practically made her knees melt and she was lucky she was holding onto the door frame or she probably would have physically swooned.

"I am. And you are?"

"Mr. Gold." He responded. "Your Pokemon is right here." He turned and pointed behind him to a Ninetales. "Orpheus."

Belle heard the warning in the man’s voice and then giggled at the name of the Ninetales currently letting Eurydice hide in his tails.

"Okay babygirl, we’ll play hide and seek later; we have work to do now," Belle said, kneeling down near the Ninetales. When Eurydice didn’t come out of hiding, Belle ignored the class and the rather attractive teacher waiting for her to leave.

"Alright Eurydice, I’m walking away now. We have to make it out before the Lord of the Underworld changes his mind." Belle said, standing up and turning to walk out of the classroom.

Eurydice peeked out from between two of the other Pokemon’s tails. She hesitated a moment before trilling at Belle and then running after her. Half of the class - including Mr. Gold - watched as Belle walked down the hall - not once looking back at her Pokemon no matter how much noise she made until they made it to the library door.

The grin that spread across Mr. Gold’s face did not go unnoticed by his students, but just as they were tempted to pick at their teacher he reminded them how scary he could be as he started that day’s lesson.

-

It had been nearly a month since the incident in front of Mr. Gold’s class, and Belle had avoided nearly everyone in the school. She went from her car to her class and then to the library. She even ate her lunch in there, and then there was that day.

Belle jumped as she heard a knock on the library office door. She didn’t have any student appointments and the ‘out to lunch’ sign was obviously in plain view. She looked at Eurydice and shrugged before sighing.

"Come in," she said absently. "Oh. Mr. Gold. What can I do for you?"

The older man looked at all of the papers scattered across the new teacher’s desk. “Essay first drafts?”

Belle nodded, “There are only two students’ papers that are even worth reading-“

"Baelfire and Emma?"

Nodding once more, Belle laughed. “How’d you know?”

"Baelfire is my son. Emma is his girlfriend," Gold responded. "My son is smart, Miss Swan is.. Adequate." He cracked a smile before waving hsi hand in the air. "I didn’t come to talk about papers. I was wondering if you’d like to go to lunch. Granny’s diner is just a five minute walk from here and she has lovely burgers."

Belle looked at the salad she had packed and suddenly it sounded awful. She smiled and nodded. “I’d love to.” She held her arm out for Eurydice, who climbed up and rested in her normal spot.

Gold smiled and offered his arm to Belle, who laid her hand on her elbow. She was sure there was something against this in the handbook, but she really didn’t care. She felt somehow connected to the man, and she enjoyed his presence; he seemed a lot like her in the sense that they didn’t spend much time around the other teachers.

-

"And so I’m only halfway through Anna Karenina, and I’m surprised I’ve never read it before." Belle shrugged, taking a bite of another fry.

"Did you know that condiments are the world’s best form of magic?" Gold grinned, holding up the ketchup bottle.

Belle raised an eyebrow at him before smiling and then laughing. Her cheeks flushed and she jumped as she felt a presence come up to the table.

"Ms. French. Mr. Gold."

"Mayor Mills," Belle smiled. "How’s Pax?"

The Houndoom peered around Regina to bump its head against Belle’s arm as if to say hello. However, it backed up quickly once Eurydice and Orpheus both made a rather menacing sound in their throats - both being protective of Belle. This action shocked all three of the adults around the table.

"Well, I’ll be taking my leave then," Regina said, clasping her hands in front of her. "Ms. French, I’m glad you’re settling in well and that Storybrook hasn’t been too hard to transition to from New York."

"I grew up in a small town, so it’s not too much trouble," Belle smiled, really just wanting to get back to eating.

Once Regina left, the two went back to chatting.

And so from then on, they had lunch together, sometimes Baelfire and Emma even joined them when they could.

-

"I found it," Belle said, coming up behind Gold in the diner.

"Found what, dearie?"

"Your name, of course," Belle grinned, sitting in front of him. "Rumplestiltskin." She looked at his slightly horrified and slightly impressed expression. "Though. That’s a bit long, so I’m going to call you Rumple."

-

"What you did with Eurydice that first day," Gold began, handing Belle a cup of tea. They were in his house on a Saturday afternoon. "How did you teach her that?"

Belle smiled, holding the tea in her hands. “It was just something we started doing after a while when I would get tired of playing hide and seek.” She shrugged. “Eurydice loved it, and she seemed to understand - especially after I read her the mythology.”

The room was silent for a moment before Belle spoke again.

"I find it funny that she ran and hide behind a Pokemon named Orpheus."

"The women who raised me would always buy me these rather large collections of stories, and the story of Orpheus and Eurydice always intrigued me, so when this guy here hatched as a Vulpix, it only seemed right." Gold said, putting an arm around the Ninetales. "I always told myself I’d do the same thing for the woman I loved. I thought that woman was Baelfire’s mother…" He shook his head.

Belle bit the inside of her cheek before setting down her cup and closing the small distance between them. She knelt in front of him, putting a hand on his cheek. She hesitated for a split second before pressing her lips to his. All at once, it seemed like life had purpose and everything made sense. She pulled away slowly and looked into his brown eyes.

"So-" before she could finished the word, he was kissing her, pulling her closer until she was practically in his lap. They only stopped when a bright light filled the room.

Belle broke away and turned to see Eurydice - no longer a tiny brown Eevee, but instead a Sylveon.

That night ended with Baelfire coming home to see his literature teacher curled up against his father on the couch - a Ninetales and a Sylveon curled up on the floor in front of them and The Princess Bride on the television. In that moment he knew that his life would get interesting.

**Author's Note:**

> This is dumb and I'm sorry. ^^'


End file.
